Chapter 7. Drawing Vector Shapes

Chapter 7. Drawing Vector Shapes

Vector-shape cast members offer a distinct advantage over bitmaps in that they use much less storage space and consequently require less download time from the Internet or other network. In addition, you can resize vector shapes without distortion, unlike bitmaps, which often look coarse when enlarged.

Also unlike bitmaps, vector shapes are limited by having to be defined in terms of lines and vertices, which makes them more suitable for simple designs than complex scenes. On the upside, Director 8 allows a single vector-shape cast member to consist of multiple distinct shapes, paving the way for possibilities such as creating text phrases from a single vector cast member.